Direct current measurement means



April 4, 1939.

3 A.C. VOLTAGE W. KRAMER DIRECT CURRENT MEASUREMENT MEANS Filed Feb. 8, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l 16711.6. VOLTAGE.

II 1: !5 A L H \J H l DCANPERES.

Fig.2.

man

AC. AMP/SEES. I I

Inveht'or:

Werner Kramer,

His Attorney.

April 1939- w. KRAMER 7 2,153,377

DIRECT CURRENT MEASUREMENT MEANS Filed Feb. 8, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnventcjrz Wer*ner Kramer; by WW, I Attorney.

4 Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNlTED srA-Tas 2.15mi? manor 0111mm MEASUREMENT MEANS f Werner Kramer, Berlin-Karlshorst, Germany,

assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application February 8, 1938, Serial No. 189,449

- In Germany February 26, 1937 5 Claims. (c1. I'll-95) 4 I My invention relates to current-responsive arrangements and concerns particularly improvements in direct-current measurement and directcurrent-responsiveapparatus. The present application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 154,503 filed July 19, 1937, and assigned to the same assignee as the present application.

In my original application Serial No. 154,503,

10 I described direct-current measuring arrangements of the induction type having magnetic cores, employing alternating-current auixilialy circuits and in which errors were minimized which would tend to result from.variation in 15 the auxiliary circuits such as variation in supply voltage and frequency.

One of the features describedin myoriginal application was that of so choosing the pressure of the alternating-current source as to bring. the

2 alternating-current magnetic induction of the.

magnetic core material within therange of the point, of inflection of' the alternating-current magnetization curve, which is obtained with unidirectional magnetization of the core material due 25 to the elfect of the direct current being measured. My present application includes also further improvements for still further the tendency for errors to result from variation in the auxiliary circuit.

30 .It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide a highly accurate direct-current measuringarrangement which is relatively unaffected by lack of constancy in the source supplying an auxiliary circuit.

35 It is an object of my invention to provide a direct-current measuring arrangement of the induction type employing an alternating-current auxiliary circuit in which the graph expressing the relationship between the measurement indiocation and the voltage of the auxiliary circuit for any value of direct-current is substantially flat within the range of expected alternating voltage variations or in which the graph may be given any desired inclination.

45 It is likewise an. object of my invention to provide an arrangement in which second harmonic fluxes are introduced into the core material in order to diminish the'eflect of fluctuation of alternating voltage. y 50 Other and further objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In accordance with my invention inits preferred form I provide closed cores of'magnetic material such as a relatively permeable alloy of 55 iron or other suitable materials. The cores are provided with a direct-current winding which may be a single bar passing through the cores carrying the direct-current to be measured. Alternatingcurrent windings are also provided together with a source of alternating-current and difierential 5 current responsive means. One core or set of cores is operated vat lower alternating-current flux density than the other core or set of cores and the windings are arranged in opposition so that the current r ponsive means responds to the diiierence bet een the alternating-current inductively related to one core or set of cores and the alternating-current inductively related to the other core or set of cores. The relative strengths of the opposing current efiects in the current responsive means are so chosen as to obtain any desired degree of steepness in the curve of alternating voltage plotted against resultant alternating-current efiect. i

The invention will be understood more readily from the following detailed description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawings and those features of the invention which are-believed to be novel and patentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of my arrangement for minimizing alternating-current voltage effects by bringing the operation within the range of the point of inflection of thealternating-currentmagnetization curve; Fig. 2 is a graph illustrating the relationshipbetween the induced or applied alternating voltage and the alternating-current flowing in the alternating-current windings for different values of current in thedirect-currentwinding of the arrangement of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the form of my invention in which further refinement inthe independence of the measurement from'fluctuation in voltage of the auxiliary alternating-cur- 40 rent source is obtained; Fig. 4 is a graph explaining the principle of operation of the apparatus of Fig. 3 and showing the curves expressing the relationship between alternating voltage and the currents in the branch alternating current circiiits as well as the net alternating-current eiTect; and Figs. 5-9 inclusive are additional graphs ex-. plaining the operation of the apparatus of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 consists of the family of curves expressing the relationship between alternating flux density p and alternating ampere turns of the left-hand pair of cores in Fig. 3 for various values of directcurrent,-thus showing the operation without the compensation provided in the complete arrangement 01' Fig. 3 or operation analogous to that of 2 amass? Fig. 1. Fig. 6 consists of a corresponding family of curves expressing the relationship between flux density and compensatingcurrent for .the righthand pair of cores of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 consists of 5 the family of curves resulting from combining the crates of Figs. 5 and 6 to give the relationship.

trating the eflect of second harmonics in increas- 15 ing the steepness of the curve expressing the relationship between alternating voltage and a1- ternating-current. Like reference characters are usedmthroughout the drawings to designate like: 20 Referring more in detail to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, while only one core may be used,

in this instance, I have provided two magnetic cores with oppositely wound alternating-current windings in order to obviate alternating-current 25 induction in the direct-current circuit. The direct-current winding is represented by a single bar ll passing through and linking two closed magnetic cores l2 and [3. The magneto cores l2 and it are provided also with altemating- 30 current windings l4 and I5, respectively, re-

versely connected so as to have opposite efiects on the cores l2 and IS. The windings I l and I5 are connected to a source of alternating current I, and an alternating-current ammeter or other 35 current-responsive measuring instrument I1 is connected in the circuit. In the arrangement shown. the windings l4 and I5 are in parallel.

I! de sired,in connection with the measurement of extremely high currents, a condenser l8 may 40 also be connected in the alternating-current circuit in order-toimprove the'power factor and thereby decrease the burden of the alternatingcurrent circuit. ment is. to measure direct current in the bar ll 45 by thereading'of the ammeter l1 and. as ex-- plained hereinafter, obtaining the most accurate results depends upon the proper magnetization of the magnetic cores.

It has been found that'the relationship between voltage plotted in the vertical direction and current plotted in the horizontal direction in the alternating-current circuit of Fig. lwithout condenser ll connected is as shown in Fig. 2

wherein the various curves represent the variatlon in the alternating-current magnetization magnetic elements. v

The dotted line it is drawn through the points of inflection of the curves Fig.2, that is.

7 through the points of maximum slope or greatest steepness. It will be seen that the line I! is substantially a straight line. In normal ferrosilicon alloy, the line l9 lies between values corresponding .to the range between ten and thirteen uthousand Bausses alternating-current induction I The purpose of the arrange- ,in parallel with the series pair- 14,-.

in the cores i2 and iii. Although the horizontal ordinate is plotted in terms of the aitemating current circuit, it will be understood, of course, that the voltage is proportional to the flux strength or magnetization and, therefore, the voltage values represent magnetization in gausses. The ratio of alternating-current ampere turns to direct-current ampere turns is found to be nearly constant at 1.1.

Accordingly, for the best results'the cores i2 10 and. it are operated at aflurr density falling within the range oi the pointsoiinfiection of the alternating-current magnetization curves.

In thearrang errrentioi Fig. 3,-the magnitude of the alternating-current measured by the instruinent i'l ismade still further independent of the alternating voltage by adding an auxiliary current which bears the same relationship to the voltage as-themain alternating current in the vicinity of the point of inflection oi. the mag.- netization curve but is displaced 180 degrees from the main alternating current. As in Fig. 1 there is an inductive system responsive to directcurrent, consisting of magnetic cores I2 and it in inductive relation to a winding in the form of arod ii .j carrying direct-current to be measured, opposing alternating-current windi gs l4 and iii, a source of alternating-current t6, and an alternating-current device such as an alternating=current ammeter H. In this case, however, the alternating-current windings H and ii are shown connected in series. The connections, of course, are such that the windings l4 and lb act in opposition.

For supplying a compensating or equalizing alternating-current an auxiliary inductive system is provided which is. also in inductive relation to the direct-current winding or red II. In this;

' case the auxiliary system is like the main system in that it consists also of a pair of cores 32 and 33 surrounding the rod H and carrying alternating-current windings 34 and 35 which are connected in opposition to the alternating-current source IS. The windings 34 and 35 may be connected in either series or parallel but are shown connected in series and the series pair 34-35- is The auxiliary inductive system, however, is so arranged preferably that the cores 32 and operate relatively low on the saturation curve. The windings 3t and 35 may have a greater number of turns than the windings l4 and i5, thus taking a smallermagnetizing current. The directions of the magnetic fluxes due to the alternatingcurrent circuits at any given instant, are as shown in the arcuate arrows.

For differentially combining the alternating-.

currents in the parallel branches in Fig. 3, a

current transformer 36' is employed having a;

primary winding 31 divided by a tap 38 into'two portions through which the respective currents or winding pairs Ii-l5 and 34-435 flow in opposite directions. The transformer 38 has also a secondary winding 39' connected to the alternating-current instrument II. The tap 38 may. divide the transformer winding 31 unequally in order to obtain the desired relationship between the strength of the eflects of the currents in winding pairs l4--I5 and 34-45.

The manner in which the connections of Fig. 3

bring about air-equalizing or compensating eflect may be seen from Fig. 4, in which'alternatingcurrent voltage of the source I6 is plotted in a i vertical direction against Y alternating current plotted in a horizontal direction. Curve All represents the relationship between the applied voltage and the current in the winding pair -|4--|5. Curve 4| is the voltage-current curve for the winding pair 34--35 and curve 42 is the resultant representing the reading obtained iromthe ammeter II. All three curves are for a given value point of inflection, theresultant curve 42 is practically vertical within the range of the point of inflection. By varying the slope of the curve 4| the working portion of the curve 42 may be made exactly vertical or may be given any desired in clination. Theslopes of the alternating voltagecurrent characteristics of the two opposing current effects are made substantially alike in th probable operating range of altemating' voltage The relative slope of the curve 4| or the relative efiect of the equalizing current in the winding pair 3435 is, of course, adjusted by adjusting the position of the tap 38 on the transformer primary 31. It will be understood that saying that the curve 42 is vertical is merely another way of saying that the measuring'apparatus gives a fiat response to variations in alternating voltage, and curve 42 shows that voltage fluctuation introduces no errors in measurement within'a considerable voltage range.

For satisfactory compensation, the auxiliary current flowing in the winding 34-35 should satisfy two conditions: I V 1 First, that the auxiliary current vary approximately linearly with voltage variation. 4

' Second, that when the alternating voltage is constant, theauxiliary curr'ent vary approximately linearly with variation in direct-current magnetization. I

These conditions. are found to befulfilled when the cores 32 and 33 resemble the cores l2 and I3, but are operated at lower flux density.

To show the characteristics of the apparatus of Fig. 3 for different" values of direct-current in the rod H, the families of curves in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are presented. In these curves, for convenience, alternating-current flux density has rsen plotted along the vertical axes against alternating-current ampere turns plotted along the horizontal axis. However, the curves of Figs. 5, 6, and 7 correspond to curves 40, 4| and 42, respectively of Fig. 4. The curves numbered I to 5 each correspond to a difierent value of direct-current and the curves bearing the same' number in Figs. 5, 6

and 7 are obtained with the same value of directcurrent. The actual values of direct current ampere turns (A. T.) for the numerical example preternating-current flux density so as to make the curve 4| correspond to the portion C of the curve In cases where independence of alternating voltage is needed for only'one value of directcurrent as in certain type relays, e. g., it is sulficient to connect a condenser of suitable'size in parallel with the alternating-current winding, as

represented by the condenser in Figure 1. The

condenser current will be included in the instrument reading, and will, of couise suhtract irom the reactive current of the transformer winding. Such compensation, while correcting effects of variation in alternating voltage, cannot be dependent in its absolute value upon the current and is thus suitable only for apparatus in which the direct current is to beheld at a sub-- stantially constant value.

A particularly low dependency of the of the apparatus upon alternating voltage is obtained when alternating-current windings of the cores [2 and ii are connected inseries as shown in Fig. 3 and not in parallel as shown in .Fig. 1. By reason of the series connection, the

- second harmonic, which'arises when a magnetic core is subjected to undirectional premagnetiza tion, cannot occur in the current since the second phase opposition. In consequence, the second harmonic 'must appear in the magnetic fluxes. Such second harmonic fluxes reduce the necessary magnetization from to 3G. per cent and increase the steepness of the alternating-current magnetization curve, accompanying unidirectional premagnetization to such an extent that even without the compensating circuit 34-35, the voltage dependency of the alternating-current magnetizing current is halved'at the point'of inflection of the alternating-current magnetization curve.

This is illustrated in Fig. 9, giving the alternating-current magnetization curves. for a given value of direct-current, alternating voltage being plotted along the vertical axis and alternatingcurrent along the horizontal axis. Curve 44 is that for series connection, i. e., with the second harmonicin the flux, and curve is that for parallel connection, i. e., with the second harmonic in the current. It is apparent that by employing both the series connection and the compensating circuit of Fig. 3, it becomes particularly easy to give'the portion b of the curve 42 in Fig. 4 any desired degree of steepness or to make it vertical, thus obtaining complete voltage compensation in the vicinity of the point of inflection 43.

I have herein shown and particularly described certainembodiments of my invention and certain methods of operation embraced therein for the harmonic quantities for the two cores are in 1 purpose of explaining its principle and showing its application, but it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modificationsand variations are possible and I aim, therefore, to coverall such modifications and variatitins as fall within the scope of my invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to obtain by letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Direct-cln'rent-responsive apparatus comprising a conductor adapted to carry direct-current to be measured, a pair of magnetic cores in inductive relation to said direct-current conductor, a source of alternating-current, a pair of alternating-current windings in inductive relation respectively to said cores but connected in opposition to said source of alternating-current, a second pair of magnetic cores in inductive relationto said direct-current conductor, a second pair of alternating-current in inductive relation respectively to said second pair of cores and also connected in opposition to said source of alternating current, the design being such that the second pair of cores operates at lower alternating current flux density than the first pair, 16

a current transformer having a secondary winding and a primary winding divided into two portions, an alternating current responsive instrument connected to said secondary winding, one

'of said portions of the primary winding of the transformer being interposed between said source of alternating-current and one pair of said alternating-current windings, the other portion of the primary winding of said transformer, being interposed in circuit between the source of alternating-current and theother pair of alternatingcurrent windings, the connections 01 the transformer primary winding being such that portions thereof act in opposition, the relative number of turns of the portions of the primary winding being such that the slopes of the alternating-voltage-current characteristics of the two opposing current effects are substantially alike in the probable operating range of alternating voltages; thus making, response relatively independent of variation in voltage of the alternating-current source.

2. Direct-current-responsive apparatus comprising a'conductor adapted to carry direct-current tov be measured, a pair of magnetic cores in r inductive relation to said direct-current conductor, a source of alternating-current, a pair of alternating-current windings in inductive relation respectively to said cores but connected in oppositionto said source of alternating-current,

a second pair oimagnetic cores in inductive relation to said. direct-current conductor; a second pair of alternating-current windings, in inductive relation respectively to said second pair of cores, and also connected in opposition to said source of alternating-current, the design being such thatthe second pair of cores operates at lower alternatlng-current flux density than the first pair, and alternating-current responsive means difterentially responsive to the currents drawn by .the first and secondpairs of alternating-current windings, saiddifl'erential means being so designed as to oppose such a proportion of one current against the other as to make the slopes of the alternating-current voltage-current "char acteristics oi the two opposing current eflects substantially alike in the probable operating 7 range oi altemating-current voltages, thus making response relatively independent-oi variation in voltage or the alternating-current source.

- 3. Direct-current-responsive apparatus comprising a conductor adapted to carry direct-current to be measured, a'pair of magnetic cores ininductive relation to said direct-current conduc tor, a source of alternating-current, a pair of alternating-current windings in-inductive relation respectively to said cores but connected in series opposition to said source'oi alternating-,

current, an induction type compensating devicehaving a of opposing win ings in inductive relation to magnetic core material and also connected to said source of alternating-current, the design being such that the core material of the compensating device operates at lower alternating current flux density than the first pair of magnetic cores, and alternating-current responsive means difierentially responsive to the currents drawn by the first and second pairs of alternating-current windings, said differential means being so designed as to oppose such a proportion of one current against the other as to 'malre the slopes of the voltage-current characteristics of the two opposing current eflects in the difierential responsive means substantially sive to currents drawn by said windings from the alternating-current source, said induction devices including in addition to the alternating-current windings magnetic core material to which the windings are in inductive relation, and directcurrent windings in inductive relation to the core material and adapted to carry direct-current to be measured, the design being such that the core material in the principal induction device operates inthe relatively steep middle portion of the magnetization curve and the core material in the compensating device operates in the substantially linear initial portion of the magnetization curve.

5. Direct-current-responsive apparatus compensating a principal induction device and an auxiliary induction device, a difle'rential alternating-current responsive means and a source of alternating-current, each of the said induction devices comprising altemating-current and direct-current windings and magnetic core material in inductive relation thereto, the direct-current windings being adapted to carry directcurrent to be measured, the alternating-current windings being energized by said source of alternating-current and being so connected as to draw opposing currents, said altemating-current responsive means being interposed in circuit with said alternating-current source so as to be dit-' ierentially responsive to the currents drawn by said alternatingscurrent windings, the design of said induction devices being such that the core material of the principal induction device operates in the relatively steep middle portion of the alternating-current magnetization curve, andthe core material'of the auxiliary induction device operates in the relatively flat linear portion of its magnetization curve and the relative impedances being such that thecurrents drawn thereby are in such a relation that the actual slopes of the magnetization curves of the core material in the two induction devices are substantially equal within the range of direct-current measurements tobemade. 

